A MOREE teenager who broke his arm in a trail bike accident visited three country hospitals, travelling 1519km over four days, before finally undergoing surgery.

Jack Bowden, 17, was taken by his dad Leslie to Moree Hospital on September 9, but because there is no resident doctor he was referred to Tamworth Hospital in northern NSW. "It was strapped, and we were sent home with pain killers, but Jack kept saying it was throbbing," Mr Bowden, 53, said.

On Monday, they drove nearly four hours to Tamworth, but the pair sat unattended for the entire day in the Emergency department of Tamworth Hospital.

At 6pm, Jack was told he could not be admitted because the surgeons did not have a boss to sign off on the surgery, and not to bother going to John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle because of bed closures.

Mr Bowden then drove back to Moree and, on Tuesday, drove his son four hours north across the border to Toowoomba Hospital, where he was told surgery could not be conducted until the following week, which meant the arm would have to be re-broken to be set.

Doctors from Toowoomba rang Tamworth Hospital, who said they could do the surgery on Wednesday if the boy could arrive by 1pm.

Finally, after more than 1500km, the boy was admitted and had surgery on Thursday, September 13.

"It's just ridiculous, the health system stinks," said Mr Bowden, who said his son was in terrible pain.

Todd McEwan, from Hunter New England Health, said they had contacted the family to apologise.

"The orthopaedic surgeon locum rostered for Tamworth Hospital advised he was unable to attend the hospital on that day and as such, the hospital immediately sought to secure alternative orthopaedic cover," he said.

However, such cover was not provided, forcing Mr Bowden to travel interstate.

"We do not encourage patients to leave a health facility with a serious injury to seek medical attention elsewhere," Mr McEwan said.

Opposition Health spokesman Dr Andrew McDonald said the O'Farrell government's plan to strip $3 billion from the health budget would make care in rural centres critical. "This is what happens when you cut the health budget," he said.

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